Curtain-fixture



(No Model.)

' J. DORN.

CURTAIN FIXTURE.

No. 443,188. Patented Dec.`28, 189D.

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`lll! 1 l ll l, Mn/EW? UNIT-nn STATES i ATEN'r @Fluent JOHN DORN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CURTAIN-FIXTURE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 443,188, dated December 23, 1890.

Application filed March 10, 1390. Serial No. 343,278. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN DORN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Curtain-Fixtures, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to an improvement in curtain-iixtures of the kind which serve to support the curtains and enable them to be opened and closed by movement back and forth upon the support.

My object is to provide an improved curtainfixture ot the above class affording means for readily hanging or removing the curtain of a particularly effective construction and manner of operation and capable of application in a manner to prevent its detracting from the ordina-ry ornamental quality of such devices.

In the drawings, Figure l is a View in elevation of my improved mechanism supported upon the rear side of a cornice and showing the spring in its expanded condition to produce closing of the curtain, of which only the upper portion is represented; Fig. 2, a similar view of the same, showing the spring compressed to produce opening of the curtain; and Fig. 3 is a front view, and Fig. 4 a side elevation, of a preferred form of sheave and pawl for holding the cord.

A is a support, which may be in the form.

of a cornice, as shown, to extend across the top of a window or door,and which may, furthermore, be rendered as attractive in appearance as desired.

B is a rod secured at opposite ends upon the rear side of the support to extend lengthn wise thereof, being out of contact with the support between its ends.

The spring C is preferably of the auto1natically-expansible order and is of the zigzag form shown, coiled at the angles to increase -its resistance and produce the eyes t on the one side and eyes t on the other, and it should be bent or coiled at the center of each section between the angles to form. eyes s, located in direct line with each other to enable the rod B, thus forming a guide, to be passed through them, as shown. The spring is compressed somewhat between the ends of the rod B, so that its resilient tendency causes it normally to press with desired force against the end portions of the rod.

D is a cord or other flexible medium secured at one end to an end of the spring and eX` tending along the latter over a suitable sheave E or the like to hang down from one side of the device within easy reach of an operator. The sheave I prefer to employ is provided around its periphery with notches fr of the depth approximately of the groove of the sheave, and a pivotal dog q is supported adjacent to the sheave to enter the notches vr.

Vhen the curtain is drawn by means of the cord D against the resistance of the spring, and it is desired to secure it in any adjusted position against the resilient action of the spring, the dog q is permitted to enter Vone of the notches r, which prevents return rotation of the sheave, and to engage and bind the cord against the grooved surface of the sheave, which prevents the cord from being drawn across the sheave in the direction of the springs resilience.

The curtain may be secured by means of ordinary hooks ce to the eyes t, and thus be suspended from the spring'. Vhen it is desired to open the curtain, the cord D is pulled to contract the spring, which as it slides along the rod B draws the farther end and intervening width of the curtain in equal folds toward the sheave. By slowly relaxing the cord D the engaging end of the dog may be made to enter one of the notches r and bind the cord to hold the spring in any desired compressedl condition. To close the curtain the cord is pulled sufficiently to release the engagement of the dog therewith, when by letting go the cord or relaxing it quickly the spring will expand byits resilience along the rod and close the curtain, while the consequent quick rotation of the sheave will prevent the dog from exerting its engaging effect.

If desired, the spring C may be one automatically compressible instead of eXpansible in its nature, which would be the character of the spring shown, for instance, if the eyes t t were produced bycoiling the wire in. the contrary direction. Then the spring is of the compressible construction, it should be firmly secured at one end to the end of the rod B opposite the sheave, and the cord se cured to the spring at the end of the latter IOO nearest the sheave, whereby the spring will operate normally to maintain the curtain opened, and pulling the cord will produce closing of the curtain against the resilient force of the springs.

Obviously, for two curtains the mechanism described may be duplicated.

The cornice A affords a support which operates to conceal the mechanism and is desirable on that account; but it is not indispensable, as the rod B and other mechanism may be secured directly upon the Window or door casing and concealed behind or Within a shield of any desired character, or it may be left eX- posed.

What I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a curtain-xture, the combination of a guide-rod, a spring. of zigzag form extensible and compresible along the rod and attording means for the attachment at intervals of a curtain and provided with eyes s to engage and slide upon the rod, and a cord or the like secured to one end of the sprin g and affording means for operating it to open' and close the curtain, substantially as described.

2. In a curtain-fixture, the combination of a guide rod, an automaticallyexpans'ible spring of zigzag form extensible and compressible along the rod and. provided with eyes t at Which to attach the curtain and with eyes s to engage and slide upon the guide-rod, and a cord or the like secured to one end of the spring and affording means for operating it to open and close the curtain, substantially as described.

3. In a curtain-fixture, the combination of a guide rod, an automaticallyeXpansible spring of zigzag form extensible and compressible along the rod and provided With eyes t at which to attach the curtain and with eyes s to engage and slide upon the rod, a sheave or the like mounted at one end of the guide-rod, a cord or the like secured tothe spring at the end thereof opposite the sheave and extending around the latter to afford means for operating the spring to open and close the curtain, and automatic gripping means, as the dog" q, for engaging the cord and holding it against the resilient t'o'rce of the spring, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN BORN. In presence ot- J. W. DYRENFoR'ri-I, M. J. FROST.` 

